Plate 5 Black Printing State 1

Plate 5 was registered twice on 01 and 11 June.   Stamps were printed in black from this plate from 8 June to 30 Dec 1840. Thereafter,
accept for a brief interval between 22 January and 05 February, when a provisional black printing was made, all printing was in red.
The most useful characteristic of this plate for identification is weak side frame lines and the "O" Bulge, both which are illustrated
below.   The provisional printing in black was due to an urgent demand for the black stamps because the new red stamps were not yet
available.  Plate 5 black and red  stamps can be found in 3 States.  Stamp PB,  is the single stamp from the plate in black which may be
found in the 3rd State with non-coincidental re-entry, and naturally is quite rare.
 

 Red Maltese Cross
The "O" Bulge
Black Maltese Cross

Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing State 1

Earliest Known Date of Use 16 June 1840
Flaw  The "O" Bulge and weakness of side frame lines (especially left)
No Flaw The "O" Bulge appears on the majority of stamps
Re-entries LL and ND
Shifted Transfer/Basel Shift None
Double Letters DB, EB, HB, HE, HI, KE, PH, PJ, TH
Burr Rubs None
Recut side Lines None
Recut Corners None
Constant Varieties BG, QC, QF
Printing in Red State 1, 2, and 3 (PB only)
Color of Maltese Cross Red or Black
Bleute Paper Exists
Inverted Watermark Exists (uncommon)

 
 
Example of Plate 5 on cover

Example of Normal and worn frame Lines
Normal left frame line
Worn left frame line

 

Plate 5 Red Printing State 1 (Unrepaired)



 
 
 
 

"O" Bulge on Red Printing
Example from Plate 5
Red Printing

 

Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing State 1 (Unrepaired)

Earliest Known Date of Use 30 December 1840
Flaw  O Bulge appears on many stamps and weakness of sidelines (especially left)
No Flaw The "O" Bulge appears on the majority of stamps
Shifted Transfer/Basel Shift None
Double Letters DB, EB, HB, HE, HI, KE, PH, PJ, TH
Burr Rubs None
Recut Side Lines None
Recut Corners None
Constant Varieties BG, QC, QF
Color of Maltese Cross Black

Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing First Repair 1840 (State 2)

Repair by Re-entry AA, AB, BB, CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, EA, EB, EC, ED, FA, JA, OA, OB, PA, TA. 
An interesting feature of this repair is that both the top corner stars and the bottom check letters show signs of weakness or thinning which would suggest that a transfer roller was used with blank
spaces instead of stars as well as the usual blank spaces for the check letter
squares
Recut Frames or Corners AC, CE, RJ, SE (Showing extended lines at the bottom corners)
Marks and Scratches These appear on a wide range of stamps throughout the plate. Litchfield is a useful reference for more details.

Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing Second Repair 1840

Repaired for the first time BA, BC, NA, PB. 
The impact on these stamps is the same as described above.
Repaired for the second time  BB, CB, CC, CD, CE, DA, DB, DC, DD. 
As a result of this repair the portrait and the engine turned background both received strengthening. The star corners and check letters were further effected by the second repair and made even weaker.

Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing First Pre-Provisional Printing

Repair by Re-entry State 1: AC, AK, FB, FC, FD, GA, HA, HB, JB, KA, MA, OA, QA, QB, QC, RA, RC, RD, SA, SB, SC, SD, TB, TD, TK.
State 2: EA, EB, EC, PB, TA. 
This printing took place just before the switch back to black with the provisional printing in black. The stamps that underwent this repair appeared in red ink during a short three weak period and are as a result quite scarce.

Characteristics of Plate 5 Black Printing Provisional Printing Third Repair

Coincidental Re-entry State 2:  AC, AK, FB, FC, FD, GA, HA, HB, JB, KA, MA, OA, QA, QB, QC, RA, RC, RD, SA, SB, SC, SD, TB, TD, TK, 
State 3: EA, EB, EC, TA
State 4: CC
Non-coincidental Re-entry State 3: PB
The period of this provisional printing was 22 January to 05 February.  In the case of Plate 5 and the other Plates which underwent provisional printing in black, Plates 8, 9 and 10, a "provisional repair was made."  Stamp PB is the
only known example of State 3 with a non-coincidental re-entry.  The stamps which received coincidental re-entry are of the same rarity as stamp PB
but less sought after by collectors.

Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing Third Repair

Coincidental Re-entry State 2:  AC, AK, FB, FC, FD, GA, HA, HB, JB, KA, MA, OA, QA, QB, QC, RA, RC, RD, SA, SB, SC, SD, TB, TD, TK, 
State 3: EA, EB, EC, TA
State 4: CC
Non-coincidental re-entry State 3: PB
The printing in red was resumed with the Plate in the same State as repaired
for the provisional printing in black

Characteristics of Plate 5 Red Printing Fourth  Repair Late 1841

Repair by Coincidental Re-entry State 2: AD, AH, BD, EE, FE, GB, GC, GE, GH, HC, IA, IB
State 3: AB, AC, BA, BC
State 4: BB, CD, DA, DB, DC, EA, EB, EC, ED

 

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